CPAP machine?

[maslex]

What can you tell me about it? My husband is in the process of getting one. Already has had a sleep study, has to go back for another appt so he can "get used to" the machine. He completely freaked out during the sleep study when he went to wear it. But I'm wondering if it'll completely stop his snoring or not? I'm thinking it will minimize it, he thinks that he'll be completely quiet when he sleeps now. His snoring is SOOOOOO bad it's to the point of being ridiculous.


What's your take on the machine? Any pros/cons?

 

[Happy Snowman]

It should eliminate his snoring or it's not working properly. There are 3 styles of masks you can get. I'm guessing he tried all of them during his sleep study (unless he did the at home one). The nasal pillows are the smallest and if the mask freaked him out, maybe one he should consider. He has 30 days to try a mask at home to see if he likes it. I would suggest trying all 3 types. I started with a full face mask and I was surprised how easy it was to get used to. I also tried the nasal mask and the nasal pillows. I actually liked the nasal pillows the least but everyone is different.

 

[Sabeking]

It stopped my DH's snoring completely! Thank the Lord! I do hear some of the air flow but it is almost like very quiet white noise.

 

[Meriweather]

It stopped my DH's snoring completely! Thank the Lord! I do hear some of the air flow but it is almost like very quiet white noise.

Same here! Best thing that ever happened in this house.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

Same here! Best thing that ever happened in this house.

Ditto!

 

[aprilgail2]

What can you tell me about it? My husband is in the process of getting one. Already has had a sleep study, has to go back for another appt so he can "get used to" the machine. He completely freaked out during the sleep study when he went to wear it. But I'm wondering if it'll completely stop his snoring or not? I'm thinking it will minimize it, he thinks that he'll be completely quiet when he sleeps now. His snoring is SOOOOOO bad it's to the point of being ridiculous.


What's your take on the machine? Any pros/cons?

I use one but I hate the full face mask- I use the nasal pillows, they are just two small pillows that sit under your nose

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

So, my DH has used one for about 8 years now. What a difference! Before, his snoring could wake the dead. Now, he hardly ever snores (and then, just lightly if he has a cold).

Beyond the snoring, sleep apnea is a significant health concern. Individuals with sleep apnea are at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, etc.

It's important that you be supportive of his use of the CPAP (or Bi-PAP or whatever he uses). It will take him time to adjust to using one. But, he really must use one given his diagnosis. Encourage him to be patient. I encouraged mine to lay in bed and watch a movie with one on to help him get used to it. He's gone through several different masks (there are 3 general types...but many subtle differences between manufacturers), but today, he simply can't sleep without his machine.

Best of luck to you both.

Karen

 

[PeterPanic]

So, my DH has used one for about 8 years now. What a difference! Before, his snoring could wake the dead. Now, he hardly ever snores (and then, just lightly if he has a cold).

Beyond the snoring, sleep apnea is a significant health concern. Individuals with sleep apnea are at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, etc.

It's important that you be supportive of his use of the CPAP (or Bi-PAP or whatever he uses). It will take him time to adjust to using one. But, he really must use one given his diagnosis. Encourage him to be patient. I encouraged mine to lay in bed and watch a movie with one on to help him get used to it. He's gone through several different masks (there are 3 general types...but many subtle differences between manufacturers), but today, he simply can't sleep without his machine.

Best of luck to you both.

Karen

Very well said and it cannot be emphasized enough. The stop snoring part is just a happy side effect. Not having the machine opens up the possibility of heart problems, blood pressure problems and even if not pointing to physical things, if someone with apnea drives a car just a little or a lot, they are at a higher risk of falling asleep at the wheel then someone without the problem. The reason is that apnea prevents a person from getting restful sleep. It may seem like they are sleeping and you are not because of the snoring, but, believe me he is not.

Don't just be supportive of this situation, be active in making sure that he doesn't give up on it. If you love him you cannot ignore the problem otherwise he might not be around a whole lot longer. Having this machine completely changed my life for the better. It's a pain in the butt, especially when traveling, but, the fact that I now have the energy to travel and feel rested and ready to go more then makes up for that. It is a life changer and a life extender. Please encourage him to use it daily. You will sleep better. He will sleep better and more importantly he may just live longer too.

 

[Bamagirl43]

It will stop the snoring completely. Machine makes a white noise sound, but it's a big improvement over the snoring.

 

[rndmr2]

The main thing is that he is just going to have to get used to breathing through his nose and only through his nose (unless he has the full face mask). Keep the mouth shut. If he tries to breath through the mouth, that's when it "feels like a hurricane blasting in your face", as my brother put it. If he can concentrate at first and just breath evenly in and out through the nose, you don't even really feel much air movement.

 

[minkydog]

My CPAP machine is ultra quiet and I no longer snore at all. I never snored very loud, but my DH reported that sometimes I seemed to stop breathing. The sleep study revealed that I stopped breathing 70 times in just the first hour~!

I wear the nose mask. I tried the nasal pillows, but it felt like air was being forced up my nose. You do have to keep your mouth shut and breathe through your nose.

 

[Strawberry's mom&dad]

My husband has been on CPAP for 5 years.
It took about 5-6 weeks for him to leave the mask on all night. He would start the night with his mask on and in the morning it would be on the floor. It can take awhile to be able to wear the mask all night. Just keep trying. Like all new things it takes awhile to get used to it.
I would much rather hear the noise from the mask than the snoring, snorting and gasping noises.
One happy spouse

 

[Bren's Mom]

Definitely investigate the best machine for your dh BEFORE the sleep center assigns him a DME (durable medical equipment) provider. I was SO glad I did this! I found out that my insurance covered 100%, and what the DME wanted to give me was a base model. Turns out that they get reimbursed the same for nearly every machine. I researched, asked my Dr. about an auto-CPAP, made sure to get a top of the line, quiet machine with a humidifier. In June I had passed the 5 year mark and was able to get a newer machine, and did the same thing. This time I got a heated humidifier, and that is AMAZING. Also, my insurance would pay to purchase the machine rather than rent it. Renting is much more lucrative for the DME, so they often won't offer the option to buy. Even if you have to pay a portion it will likely be way less expensive in the long term. So be sure to do the homework! There IS a 'Disboards' for cpap users that was very helpful.

Also, there IS another kind of mask, called a hybrid. There are only two that I'm aware of. I use the liberty. It's a lot less obstrusive than a full face mask, but since I'm a mouth breather the nasal mask/pillows didn't work well for me.

And give it LOTS of time once he's got it home and is using it. I would say it was about a year before I found it still on in the morning consistently and it no longer bothers me at all. Good luck to him!

 

[Happy Snowman]

Definitely investigate the best machine for your dh BEFORE the sleep center assigns him a DME (durable medical equipment) provider. I was SO glad I did this! I found out that my insurance covered 100%, and what the DME wanted to give me was a base model. Turns out that they get reimbursed the same for nearly every machine. I researched, asked my Dr. about an auto-CPAP, made sure to get a top of the line, quiet machine with a humidifier. In June I had passed the 5 year mark and was able to get a newer machine, and did the same thing. This time I got a heated humidifier, and that is AMAZING. Also, my insurance would pay to purchase the machine rather than rent it. Renting is much more lucrative for the DME, so they often won't offer the option to buy. Even if you have to pay a portion it will likely be way less expensive in the long term. So be sure to do the homework! There IS a 'Disboards' for cpap users that was very helpful.

Also, there IS another kind of mask, called a hybrid. There are only two that I'm aware of. I use the liberty. It's a lot less obstrusive than a full face mask, but since I'm a mouth breather the nasal mask/pillows didn't work well for me.

And give it LOTS of time once he's got it home and is using it. I would say it was about a year before I found it still on in the morning consistently and it no longer bothers me at all. Good luck to him!

I had to pick my own DME provider. I didn't do any research for machines but the sleep center was very specific about what I was to get when they sent over the prescription. I was supposed to get the heated tubing and humidifier but I did not (and didn't know that until I went back for my 1 month check). They did swap out my equipment for the proper equipment though. The heating tubing and humidifier are very nice!! Also make sure you have the ability to adjust your humidity settings. In the summer I don't need it as much but in the winter, it's all the way up.

I'm surprised I haven't taken my mask off more during my sleep. I've only done it once when I was unaware of doing it (machine was on, mask on the floor). A couple times I've taken it off because I just couldn't get comfortable but otherwise I wear it all night.

Does anyone use any scents or essential oils in their machines?

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

Do you know if your husband will be using a CPAP or a BiPap? Make sure he understands his prescription before he goes to the DME provider. Also, he can read up on the different machines on the internet. My husband's most recent machine fits in the palm of his hand (without the humidifier) and he got the battery option as well since he travels often (i.e., 3 weeks a month) and internationally as well.

Also, he'll likely have to go in for sleep studies going forward to have his pressures adjusted up or down.

Good luck to you both!

Karen

 

[LuvGoofy6]

Completely stopped my husband's snoring. Which was wonderful! His snoring got so bad that I started sleeping in our guest bedroom just to get a good night's sleep~I could even hear him in the other room! Vacationing was miserable for our kids because they had trouble sleeping with him in the same hotel room.

Once he got his CPAP it changed our lives. In fact, one time we were traveling by car to a relatives house in another state and we were about 45 minutes down the road when my husband realized he had forgotten the CPAP bag on the kitchen table. We turned around and went back because he couldn't imagine going 4 days without it. He said once he got his CPAP he felt like a new man. It took him awhile to adjust until he found a mask he liked. Tell your husband to hang in there because it is well worth it.

 

[Bren's Mom]

... the sleep center was very specific about what I was to get when they sent over the prescription.

Yes, I should have been more clear about this.

After I knew what I wanted I called my Dr's office (at the sleep center) and asked for the Rx to be written specifically for the machine I chose. She was more than happy to comply.

And I also forgot to add that the machine I have now has a removable SD card that allows me to look at my sleep data on my computer. My old one had a card as well, although back then I had to order a special card reader from China and get a 'back alley' version of the software to be able to read it. They've come a long way! If I am wearing my mask but feeling really tired, I'll take a look and can see that I have more apneic periods or times when my mask was leaking, etc. Super helpful!

 

[Happy Snowman]

Yes, I should have been more clear about this.

After I knew what I wanted I called my Dr's office (at the sleep center) and asked for the Rx to be written specifically for the machine I chose. She was more than happy to comply.

And I also forgot to add that the machine I have now has a removable SD card that allows me to look at my sleep data on my computer. My old one had a card as well, although back then I had to order a special card reader from China and get a 'back alley' version of the software to be able to read it. They've come a long way! If I am wearing my mask but feeling really tired, I'll take a look and can see that I have more apneic periods or times when my mask was leaking, etc. Super helpful!

Is it a Phillips Respironic? That is what I have. The first few months it had a wireless modem that transmitted data to an app/website and to my DME company. Now I just use the SD card to upload info.

 

[Swank]

I have Claustrophobia and when I went for the study It was hell, I stayed up most of the night. Once I did fall asleep it was found had very significant Apnea. It took me a whole week to get used to it.

Once I was used to it, it changed my life. No snoring, not falling asleep during the day. My Brother had the same experience. Don't let him give up on it, he will get used to it and his health will be much better because of it.

 

[KiminChicago]

My DH has had his CPap for 17 years now (we're on our third machine). We take it everywhere -- we've even used it when we were tent camping, we just had to find campsites that had electricity. I don't know what we'd do without it -- I've noticed that if he goes out of town, I miss the white noise effect and then I can't sleep!